Town mourns boys killed in embankment collapse

North Queensland police are investigating the deaths of two young boys who were buried when an embankment collapsed in Ayr, south of Townsville, last night.

Emergency services say the alarm was raised after the boys, aged 12 and 14, failed to return home.

A subsequent search of the area found the collapsed embankment in the side of a storm drain in Clement Street.

Family members attempted to dig the boys out themselves before emergency crews arrived.

The boys were pulled out around 7:00pm and paramedics performed CPR, but the boys died after being rushed to hospital.

The ABC understands the boys had been building a cubbyhouse into the dirt embankment.

Digging tools were found at the site and police say the boys had been trying to dig a tunnel when the embankment collapsed.

Locals say the small town is in shock and condolences are flowing for those close to the boys.

Family members visited the site today and collected belongings, including bikes and a home-made wooden trailer.

Mayor Bill Lowis says the community is in shock.

"It's definitely a tragedy and our hearts go out to their parents and friends and relatives," he said.

"These boys were probably having innocent fun and didn't realise the dangers, and for us as a community to hear of such accidents is terrible."

Police are continuing their investigation into the accident.

Ayr is a very close-knit community. It's quite a small town. Every family knows every family or at least knows of the other family.

Both of these boys were due to be heading back to school on Monday when school starts back up for the season.

We've been told by authorities that it's really hit everyone quite hard. As police describe it, these boys were just having some harmless holiday fun and unfortunately it just ended in the most tragic of circumstances.

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